Werner Wagner

Werner Wagner, 78, of Glidden Road, Gilford, died September 25, 2015, at his home after a courageous battle with a long illness

Born in Reigoldswil, Switzerland on April 22, 1937, Werner was the son of Leo and Margrit (Humi) Wagner.

After completing all his schooling he went to work for Gerhard Mueller Lifts installing ski lifts in Switzerland. He was then sent to Canada for a ski lift installation and then came to Belknap Mountain Recreational Area, now known as Gunstock Ski Area to install the first double chair in 1962. During the installation is when he met his wife Mary and married in 1963 to settle in Gilford. He established his own tramway service business and imported Mueller Lifts, installed and serviced and spare parts dept. Installations took him all over New England, to the Midwest and eastern Canada. He was also a certified cable splicer and inspector. He was highly respected in the ski lift industry for his honesty, hard work and expansive knowledge of his craft. In 1999 he had a stroke and that was to be the end of his hard working days.

It was his love of flying that in 1964 he got his pilot's license and several years later bought his first plane. He then built his own landing strip on his property to have easy access. The plane was equipped with snow skis so he could fly to different ski areas in the winter as he would be needed when lifts would breakdown. Going to the ocean was one other way for him to relax.

Werner is survived by his loving wife of fifty-three years, Mary E. (Scribner) Wagner of Gilford, his two children, Heidi Luscher and her husband husband Paul of Meredith, NH, a son Wesley Wagner, and his wife Maricris, his grandchildren, Ashley, Brianna, Mariah, Isabella and Tristan, his two brothers Gottlieb and Leo Wagner and 2 sisters Heidi Steiner and Marianne Kammerm all of Switzerland, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations may be made to Central NH VNA, 780 N. Main St, Laconia, NH. 03246